Nuclear News: Sudan plans to build nuclear reactor

Haaretz: Sudan plans to build nuclear reactor‘Sudan is planning to build a nuclear reactor and its first nuclear power plant for peaceful electricity purposes by 2020, the state news agency SUNA said. Sudan's economy has suffered under United States sanctions since 1997 and from decades of warfare, but it has managed to hike oil production to 470,000 barrels per day, boosting growth. It has also built dams along the Blue and White Niles, which merge in Sudan, to generate power. But large swathes of the country remain without regular electricity. SUNA quoted Mohamed Ahmed Hassan el-Tayeb, director-general of the Sudanese Atomic Energy Agency, as saying the government had begun to plan in early 2010 to develop nuclear energy. "The Ministry of Electricity and Dams has already started preparing for the project to produce power from nuclear energy in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and is expected to build the first nuclear power plant in the year 2020 ," SUNA said a report on Saturday. Tayeb said an IAEA delegation would visit Sudan to discuss the project this week. Sudan has been an IAEA member since 1958 and can develop nuclear energy with IAEA assistance. Sudan has close economic and political ties with Iran, which is locked in a dispute with the United States and some of its allies over its nuclear program.’

Reuters: Merkel defends nuclear tax in scrap with industry‘BERLIN, Aug 22 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday stood by her plan to levy a tax on nuclear power providers, pitting her coalition against industry in a turbulent return to government business after the summer lull. The nuclear tax is one of a number of contentious issues facing Merkel, who has failed to capitalise on the strong recovery in Europe's largest economy to drum up support for her reforms, including budget cuts and an overhaul of the military. Merkel said she was open to a suspension of Germany's compulsory military service, a topic of heated debate within her coalition which has become notorious for its bickering. Merkel hopes the nuclear tax will raise 2.3 billion euros a year as part of a 80 billion euro austerity drive that she is determined to press ahead with, keen to set an example of fiscal discipline for other euro zone countries to follow. "We have proposed a tax," Merkel told ZDF television in her first major interview since returning from her summer break. "So long as there is no other proposal on the table, the tax remains."’

Hindustan Times: Nuclear Liability Bill: More trouble likely‘Among the 18 amendments the Indian government has moved in the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill is a clause providing for a future situation in which the government covers the liability for a private nuclear operator. As is international norm, this would be compensation in case of a nuclear accident, irrespective of who is to blame. The private operator would remain liable for fault-based civil damages. At present, as per the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act no private players can operate nuclear plants in the country. This act will have to be amended before private players can operate a reactor. However, a future scenario in which such a change has been made in the Atomic Energy Act, and there are private players in the field, is envisaged in the amendment sought to Clause 7 (1) of the existing nuclear liability bill. The proposed amendment says: “Provided that the central government may, by notification, assume full liability for a nuclear installation not operated by it if it is of the opinion that it is necessary in public interest.” This means that the government — looking into the future — agrees to handle compensation for victims of a nuclear accident even if the operator is someone other than the government. The amendment has been sought despite the standing committee which examined the original bill having recommended to the government to make the “position clear that there will be no private operator of nuclear installations.” There is already a growing disquiet among opposition parties over the amendment suggested to Clause 17 in the Bill, which dilutes the liability of the supplier of nuclear technology.’

Times of India: Russians eager to quit Haripur‘NEW DELHI: In what may result in yet another setback for West Bengal owing to protests by Trinamool Congress and Maoists, Russia wants the central government to shift the location of the proposed nuclear power plant at Haripur in East Midnapore district. Government sources confirmed that Russia's state-owned nuclear power equipment and service giant Rosatom has asked the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to seriously consider allotting it another site. The coastal region of Haripur had been allotted to Rosatom last year because of its low population density and after the state government showed interest in hosting a nuclear power plant. However, with Trinamool Congress and the Maoists vying with each other to tap unrest among the local fishermen community, many in the state believe the situation is another Nandigram in the making. The proposed plant at Haripur had acquired all necessary environmental clearances in January. It was said to have potential for six reactor units. It had been earmarked initially for two 1,000-MW power plants. Construction work was to commence this year. The DAE's site selection committee is closely looking at the developing situation, said an Indian official. The Russians are said to be concerned over the manner in which the resistance, which was initially just about the risk of a nuclear plant leading to an increase in water temperature, has become political.’

The Japan Times: Fukushima reactor receives MOX‘FUKUSHIMA (Kyodo) Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Saturday loaded a nuclear reactor in Fukushima Prefecture with MOX, a controversial fuel made with reprocessed plutonium and uranium oxides, as it prepares to become the leading power utility's first facility to go pluthermal. The No. 3 reactor at Tepco's Fukushima No. 1 plant will be the nation's third pluthermal facility, but only the first to be refurbished since the plant was built 34 years ago. Tokyo Electric plans to activate the reactor on Sept. 18 and let it start generating electricity on Sept. 23.’

UPI: Egypt to build first nuke power plant‘CAIRO, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is preparing to announce plans to construct the country's first nuclear power plant, an official said. An unnamed source told the Egyptian newspaper Al Masry-al-Youm Mubarak is likely to name Dabaa as the site for the country's first nuclear power plant Monday. The area located northeast of Cairo has one of the best Mediterranean beaches and a decision to build the nuclear energy plant there has been criticized by local businessmen, the newspaper said. Earlier this month, Electricity and Energy Minister Hassan Younes said plans were under way to start an international bidding process to build the plant.’

Asahi: Can Japan sell nuclear power to the Middle East?‘The government led by the Democratic Party of Japan has targeted the overseas sale of nuclear power as one of its primary growth strategies. It will create a corporation combining the resources of both public and private sectors in pursuit of this goal. Japan is a major proponent of nuclear energy, on a par with the United States, France, Russia and South Korea. Competition among these countries to win tenders for nuclear power plant construction has developed into a fierce battle for supremacy involving their political leaders. One of the largest arenas for this competition is the Middle East. In this region, how should Japan approach the sale of nuclear power plants to a region in which political instability and proliferation are major causes of concern?’

Nuclear Street: AREVA / Northrop Grumman Large Nuclear Components Manufacturing Facility - DelayedAccording to the Daily Press, AREVA Newport News says it is delaying the start of its large nuclear components manufacturing facility until 2013. Officials with the joint venture between Northrop Grumman and AREVA say a slower-than-expected process of federal government approval of new nuclear power plants is delaying the operation. The companies broke ground in July 2009 on the facility. The plant near the Northrop Grumman shipyard was scheduled to be operational by 2012.

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